Remote work didn’t just change where people make their living — it changed where their tax obligations follow them. Learn why multi-state CPA licensing really matters. For example, someone who moved from Virginia to Colorado in 2023 and kept a DC-based job may now owe taxes in two or three states without realizing it. If their CPA has only ever been licensed and experienced in one metro area, that’s a real gap — and one worth asking about before you hire someone.
Why CPA Licensing Is State-Specific
A CPA license is issued by an individual state board, not a national body. Historically, that meant CPAs mostly served clients in the state where they were physically licensed and located. Over time, most states adopted mobility laws — today, 49 states plus DC allow a CPA licensed in good standing in one state to serve clients across state lines for non-attest work like tax preparation, planning, and consulting, generally without extra notice or fees. Mobility solves the legal question of whether a CPA can serve you across state lines. It doesn’t answer the more practical question: does this CPA actually understand the tax rules of the state or states relevant to you?
The Risk of Working With an Unlicensed or Single-State Preparer
A preparer who only knows one state’s rules, working with a client whose income, residency, or business touches multiple states, is a setup for costly mistakes: missed state filing obligations, incorrect residency determinations, overlooked state-specific credits, or errors that create real financial and legal exposure for the client — with limited recourse if something goes wrong.
What Multi-State Licensing Actually Protects You From
- Nexus and residency issues for people who work remotely in a different state than their employer, or who moved states mid-year
- State tax credits and reciprocity agreements, which vary significantly and are easily missed without direct experience in the relevant states
- Entity-level state filings for business owners — payroll tax registration, franchise tax, and S-Corp treatment differ meaningfully from state to state
Who This Matters Most For
- Remote employees who relocated during or after the pandemic and still haven’t fully sorted out their state filing obligations
- Digital nomads and consultants with clients spread across multiple states
- Business owners with employees or business activity (nexus) in more than one state
- Retirees splitting time between two states, where a primary tax question is residency determination, in and of itself
How a Nationwide, Virtual Model Solves This
Myrick CPA is licensed to serve clients throughout the U.S. and operates as a fully virtual tax practice — secure document sharing, video consultations, and a client experience that doesn’t rely on driving to a physical office. In practice, that means a client in Texas gets the same advisory relationship, and the same attention to their specific state’s rules, as a client in Maryland. The firm’s geographic reach isn’t limited to a single metro area’s client roster.
Questions to Ask a Prospective CPA About Licensing
Before hiring a CPA — especially if you work remotely, have moved states, or run a business with activity in more than one state — it’s worth asking directly:
- Are you licensed in my state of residence, and in any other state where I have income or business activity?
- Have you worked with clients who have multi-state income or nexus questions before?
- How do you handle residency determinations for remote employees or recent movers
The Bottom Line
Where your CPA is licensed isn’t a technicality — it’s a direct measure of whether they can actually stand behind the state-specific parts of your return. A firm that’s licensed and experienced across the country can serve you the same way no matter where you live now, or where you move next.
Myrick CPA is licensed throughout the U.S. — wherever you live now, or relocate to in the future, doesn’t have to mean starting over with a new accountant. Contact us to schedule a virtual consultation.